PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – In a significant reinforcement of international security efforts, Haiti welcomed 230 specialized Kenyan police officers on December 8, 2025. The arrival marks the fifth contingent deployed from Kenya to support the Caribbean nation’s ongoing battle against armed gangs.
Laurent Saint-Cyr, President pro tempore and Coordinator of Haiti’s Transition Council, personally received the officers at Toussaint Louverture International Airport. The specialized unit joins the multinational Gang Repression Force (FRG) operating within the country’s security framework.
The Kenyan delegation, led by Deputy National Security Advisor Joseph Boinett and Principal Deputy Inspector General James Kamau, received high-level welcomes from Haitian defense leadership. The reception committee included Commander Godfrey Otunge of the GSF, Lieutenant General Derby Guerrier of the Haitian Armed Forces, and Acting Police Director Vladimir Paraison. Diplomatic representatives from Canada, France, and Kenya’s Consul General in Haiti were also present.
Concurrently, a rotation of 100 Kenyan officers concluded their mission and departed for home. Transition Council Coordinator Saint-Cyr acknowledged their service while assuring remaining troops of continued harmonious collaboration between Haitian authorities and international forces.
GSF Commander General Otunge emphasized operational improvements based on lessons from previous multinational missions in Haiti. ‘We have learned from the experience of the Multinational Mission in Haiti to make this new Force more effective,’ Otunge stated, committing to work in Haiti’s best interests.
Joseph Boinett conveyed President William Ruto’s personal message: ‘Kenya will stand with the Haitian people to guarantee peace and stability during this transitional phase.’ The declaration reinforces Kenya’s commitment to the international stabilization effort.
The new arrivals join existing contingents from Guatemala, El Salvador, the Bahamas, and Jamaica. Commander Otunge noted their deployment coincides with critical expansion of the GSF’s mandate, positioning them to ‘play a vital role in strengthening, consolidating, and accelerating the progress already achieved.’